Home
by phoenixfire74656
Summary: How Endgame should have ended...
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Endgame sucked, so I changed it! :D This story was three months in the making. I had some writer's block and kept bopping around from story to story, not finishing anything. So I finally sat my ass down and finished this one! This one is mushier than my others, but there is also humor, I promise :) It's also my first multi-chapter story!

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just use them to make the story better.

 **Home**

 **Chapter 1**

"We did it."

Kathryn Janeway stared at the viewscreen, the armada of Federation ships hovering before her like angels welcoming her to heaven.

Chakotay gripped the railing behind their command chairs. He couldn't believe that they'd actually done it.

That _she'd_ actually done it.

His heart swelled at the thought: Kathryn Janeway had finally completed her mission, achieved her goal. She had gotten her crew and her ship home.

She was exhausted, despondent, and broken in so many ways after this seven-year-long journey. But as Chakotay watched her as he stood next to Seven of Nine, he could still see the strong, courageous, beautiful woman he fell in love with all those years ago.

 _Fell in love_. The words struck him hard, like a Borg cube had crashed right into his face. He turned slightly, catching a glimpse of Seven. Seven was smart, and beautiful, and he did care for her...but deep down, he knew his heart could never belong to anyone other than Kathryn Janeway. Seeing Kathryn standing there in front of her command chair, speaking to Admiral Owen Paris over the viewscreen, Chakotay suddenly felt like a dense fog had lifted from his mind. It was all so clear now.

"It'll all be in my report, sir," he heard her say to Admiral Paris before cutting the transmission.

Noticing that his knuckles had turned white from gripping the railing so hard, Chakotay leaned in towards Seven. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Seven turned her head and quirked a curious eyebrow, but said nothing. Chakotay swallowed hard before moving away. He jogged down the stairs and strode over purposefully to Kathryn. His movement caught her attention in the corner of her eye, and she turned to face him.

"Commander?" she asked, her voice tinted with confusion.

He stopped directly in front of her and, in one swift movement, cupped her face in his hands and brought her lips to his.

A sharp inhale from Harry Kim, who had a good view from his position at the ops station, forced Tom Paris to swivel around in his chair. His eyes widened when he saw the command team in their embrace. He glanced over at Harry, whose smile was broader than Tom had ever seen it. Samantha Wildman held back a squeal, covering her mouth with her hand. Mike Ayala leaned back against his console and crossed his arms, smirking at his commander and friend. _Took the bastard long enough_ , he thought. Tuvok merely raised an eyebrow; Seven copied his expression with precision.

Tom stood up and started clapping slowly. The others joined in, and soon the bridge erupted in wolf whistles and cheers. "It's about damn time," Tom muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Sickbay to the bridge," came the Doctor's voice, interrupting the reverie. A baby cried in the background. Chakotay and Kathryn pulled apart, her expression full of bewilderment and shock, but Chakotay swore he could also see a hint of love and joy in her steely blue eyes.

"Doctor to Lieutenant Paris. There's someone here who'd like to say hello."

Kathryn turned and beamed at Tom. "You'd better get down there, Tom."

"Yes, ma'am!" he replied, hopping up from his chair. He winked at Chakotay on his way to the turbolift.

"Mister Chakotay, the helm," Kathryn said, trying to regain some control over the situation. She was attempting to process what had just happened between them, and now was certainly not the time for informalities. Instead, she focused on her final mission: seeing her ship to Earth.

"Aye, Captain," he replied, smiling as he took a seat at the conn.

"Set a course for home."

xXx

Later that evening, Kathryn sat on the couch in her quarters, staring idly at the blue and white planet below her. Starfleet had sent their instructions: they were to disembark tomorrow.

As she tried to reflect on the past seven years, her mind kept straying to the moment on the bridge with Chakotay.

She had waited so long for that very moment. She still wasn't sure it had happened, but every so often she could recall the sensation of his soft lips on her own and she knew it had been real.

 _This_ was real. They were home. They were no longer bound by the chain of command or by her principles. And now she was sure—he still loved her. Their relationship, both personal and professional, had been rocky for awhile, and the rumors she had heard about him and Seven of Nine hadn't helped the situation.

No, not rumors. Truth. B'Elanna had told her outright. The half-Klingon had been enraged that her best friend would "act like such a petaQ," as she had put it, and pursue such a childish endeavor, and it was no secret that B'Elanna wasn't Seven's biggest fan. Kathryn had been grateful for B'Elanna's candid admission, although it had seared her heart more than she cared to admit.

Kathryn had loved him. She still loved him. But she had resigned herself to the fact that he had moved on to someone else, to someone who could give him what she could not. She had doubted that he still had feelings for her and had quickly extinguished all glimmers of hope that had been living deep within her conscience.

But apparently, that was not the case. Whatever Chakotay had with Seven was over. He still loved Kathryn, and she loved him, and they were home.

 _Home._

The door chime broke her from her thoughts.

"Come in, Chakotay," she called, already aware of who it would be on the other side of the door.

Chakotay stepped into her quarters and held out a bottle of champagne.

"I brought something to celebrate with," he said, placing it on the table. She smiled at him as she stood up and walked over to the credenza and took out two champagne flutes. He popped the cork and poured two glasses, which they then clinked together.

"Welcome home, Kathryn," he said.

She took a sip of her champagne and gently placed the flute on the table. They had so much to talk about, but there would be time for that later. They didn't need words; there was no question about what either of them wanted now. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he placed his flute next to hers.

"I thought we could do some celebrating in the bedroom, if you're up for it," she purred, kissing him lightly on his jawline.

"I've waited seven damn years for you to say that," he replied. She laughed as he grabbed her by the waist, hoisted her over his shoulder, and carried her to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next day, Kathryn and Chakotay were the last to beam down to Earth from Voyager. They stood on the bridge together, seven years of memories flooding their thoughts.

"Are you ready?" he asked, coming over to her and taking her hand in his.

"No," she said. Her eyes welled with tears.

"I'll be right beside you, Kathryn," he said, squeezing her hand. "I know it may not seem like it, but I always have been, and I always will be."

She smiled at him and nodded. Then tapping her commbadge, she gave the order.

"Janeway to transporter station three. Two to beam down."

Hand in hand, they materialized on the outdoor transporter pad at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, which was surrounded by a sea of Starfleet uniforms and their civilian-dressed families. Kathryn saw someone waving emphatically in the crowd.

"Katie!" the woman called. She pushed her way through until she reached Kathryn and Chakotay, and flung herself at Kathryn.

"Mom!" Kathryn exclaimed, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Oh, mom."

"My darling Katie," Gretchen cried. Kathryn's younger sister, Phoebe, rushed up behind them, enveloping them both in a giant hug.

"Katie, I can't believe you're home!" Phoebe wailed.

The three women held each other for several minutes. When they finally broke apart, Kathryn stepped back next to Chakotay.

"Mom, this is—"

"Chakotay!" Gretchen exclaimed, giving him a big hug. "Oh, my boy, are you a sight for sore eyes! Katie wasn't joking when she said you were handsome."

Kathryn's cheeks flushed and she gave Chakotay an apologetic look. She should have known her mother, in all her candidness, would divulge what she had written in her letters.

"It's great to finally meet you, Mrs. Janeway," Chakotay replied.

"Oh pfft, call me Gretchen. Or mom!" she said, winking at Chakotay.

"Mother!" Kathryn shrieked in a mortified tone, as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Chakotay just laughed.

Gretchen gave him a crooked smile; now he knew where Kathryn got it from. "Is your family here?" she asked him.

He frowned. "No. My sister is too far away to have been here by today. I'm going to meet up with her in a few weeks, take a trip out to my homeworld."

"I thought Chakotay could come back to the farm with us," Kathryn interjected, holding onto Chakotay's arm and giving it a squeeze.

"Oh, of course!" exclaimed Gretchen. "I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Phoebe finally moved around her mother and sister to get a better look at Chakotay. "Damn, Katie. I'll trade you Fred and the kids for this one, how about it?"

Kathryn groaned. Chakotay studied Phoebe closely. Her appearance was nearly identical to Kathryn—which sort of frightened him, in a way—save for the gray color of her eyes and the darker shade of her hair. She also had more freckles on her nose.

"You must be Phoebe," said Chakotay, taking her hand and kissing the top of it. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine..." Phoebe replied alluringly.

Kathryn grabbed her by the arm. "Time to go!" she said, pulling Phoebe away from Chakotay. Chakotay could tell she was agitated and put a strong hand on the small of her back.

"Yes, it is. We have Fred looking after the kitchen, and I'm worried for my pot roast," said Gretchen.

"You haven't worried until you've seen _Kathryn_ cook a pot roast, ma'am," replied Chakotay. Kathryn smacked him in the chest.

Gretchen chuckled. "Oh, Katie isn't allowed in my kitchen. Not after—"

"Mother, that's enough," said Kathryn. "Let's go."

Gretchen nodded, deciding that she was done humiliating her eldest daughter for the moment. The four of them made their way to the transporter pad. Kathryn turned back to look at her crew, all happily ensconced with their families and friends. She had said all her formal goodbyes earlier in the day, but she knew she would see many of them in the coming weeks at various social functions.

Gretchen's voice brought Kathryn back to reality. "Bloomington, Indiana, please," her mother asked the transporter technician sweetly.

xXx

"This is a beautiful property, Mrs. Janeway," said Chakotay as they crossed through the gate of a white picket fence and walked up the dirt path towards the farmhouse.

"Gretchen, please," the older woman said. "And thank you. The farm has been in our family for generations."

Kathryn and Chakotay held hands as they made their way up the path. Suddenly, the front door swung open and two dogs came barreling towards them.

"Oh my god. Mollie?" Kathryn said in disbelief. She dropped Chakotay's hand and ran to the Irish Setter, whose muzzle was now a nice shade of gray. "Mollie! Oh, Mollie!" Kathryn cried as she knelt down and hugged the dog. The other dog, a younger Irish Setter, tried to butt its way into the reunion.

"That's Cinnamon," said Gretchen to Kathryn. "She's one of Mollie's pups. Mark kept them for a while, but eventually he thought they should remain here with me."

As Kathryn occupied herself with the dogs, Phoebe came up behind Chakotay.

"So, you and my sister. How long?" she asked.

"Since yesterday, actually," he replied as-a-matter-of-factly, watching Kathryn walk up the stairs of the front porch with the dogs trailing happily behind her.

" _Yesterday_?" Phoebe asked incredulously, crossing her arms over her chest.

Chakotay merely smiled. "It's a long story," he said as he headed up to the front porch, leaving a very confused Phoebe in his wake.

xXx

After Kathryn and Chakotay were introduced to Phoebe's husband, Fred, and their two children, Fred Jr. and Katherine (whom Phoebe had named for her sister), Gretchen seated everyone at the table.

"Losing a daughter is a terrible thing," Gretchen began as she stood at the head of the table. "But without tragedy, you can't begin to appreciate the good that can come from it. I cannot tell you how elated I was when Owen told me the news. That you were alive. That you were trying to get home."

Tears pricked the corners of Kathryn's eyes. Chakotay took her hand under the table and squeezed it.

"When I saw you today, I thought my heart would explode. Katie, we are all so very glad that you are here with us. Words can't express how much we missed you."

"And we're also glad you brought home this handsome fella," interjected Phoebe, pointing at Chakotay. Kathryn rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Chakotay," Gretchen continued. "Katie wrote so much about you in her letters. Thank you for looking after her and giving her strength when she needed it most. We all owe you a debt of gratitude."

Chakotay shook his head. "Don't be so sure. I wasn't able to break her coffee addiction," he teased. Everyone laughed. Kathryn jabbed him in the arm with her finger.

"Well, dig in, people!" said Gretchen. "This food didn't make itself!"

Much later into the meal, there was a knock on the front door.

"Oh, Katie. That'll be for you," said Phoebe, shoveling a forkful of pot roast into her mouth.

Kathryn looked at her quizzically before wiping her mouth with her napkin and standing up from the table. The dogs immediately got up and followed her to the front door.

She opened it and gasped.

"Kathryn," breathed the gray-haired gentleman standing at the door.

Kathryn stared for a moment before launching herself at him. He hugged her back with just as much fervor.

"Mark," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh, Kath," he said into her hair, "Oh, how I missed you."

The dogs ran around the pair, Mollie squeezing herself between their legs. When they pulled apart, Mark placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I thought I'd never see you again," he said, holding her hands. "If I'd have known…" He trailed off, averting his gaze to the floor. Mollie sat beside him, looking up at him expectantly, while Cinnamon ran back into the dining room.

"Mark, no," Kathryn said. "You did the right thing. You moved on. I'm happy for you."

Gretchen bustled into the foyer after deciding she had given them enough privacy. "Mark, my boy, so good to see you," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Would you like something to eat?"

"No thank you, Gretchen," he said.

Suddenly, Chakotay appeared in the foyer, holding a stack of dirty plates. Cinnamon had her jaw clamped around his pant leg and was dragging him around as he tried to keep his balance.

"I was trying to get to the kitchen but someone wanted to take the long way," he huffed, trying to gently shake the dog loose.

"Cinnamon!" Gretchen snapped. The dog let go immediately. "Sorry. She can be a handful," she said, shooing Cinnamon into the other room as she took the plates from Chakotay.

"Must be a female Janeway trait," Mark joked. Kathryn smacked him on the arm. Chakotay looked at the two of them and smiled faintly.

"Oh, Mark," said Kathryn, moving to stand with Chakotay. "This is Commander Chakotay, my first officer."

"Ah, yes, the Maquis outlaw," Mark commented jokingly, shaking Chakotay's hand. "I've heard a lot about you from Gretchen. I'm Mark, Kathryn's...well, Kathryn's friend."

"I know who you are," said Chakotay kindly, taking a step back and wrapping his arm around Kathryn's waist. "I often wondered how you went about winning Kathryn Janeway's heart. Not an easy task."

Kathryn's eyes grew wide and her heart flopped in her chest. Having her current lover and her former lover in the same room was too much for her tired mind to handle. She opened her mouth to speak, but the voice she heard was not her own.

"Well, by the looks of things, I presume you've figured it out," Mark said to Chakotay, looking between the two of them.

Kathryn cleared her throat. "Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" she asked in an attempt to divert the conversation.

"I'm fine, Kathryn, but thank you," Mark replied. "I actually better go. But it was great to see you. I'm just glad you're home safe and sound. And I'm glad you're happy."

He smiled warmly at her and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek. After shaking Chakotay's hand once more, he wandered out the door into the cool Indiana night.

"Nice fellow," said Chakotay, pulling Kathryn closer to him and burying his face in her hair to kiss the top of her head.

"Yes," she replied. "But he's not you." She looked up at him and gave him one of the crooked smiles he loved so much. "I think I finally got it right this time."

Chakotay laughed. "It only took you seven years to figure it out, but yes."

Kathryn swatted his arm. "If you keep up with the sarcasm, mister, you won't be getting any dessert!"

"I better stop, then," he whispered conspiringly in her ear. "There's only one kind of dessert I had in mind and I definitely don't want to miss out on it."

"You're incorrigible," she muttered, although still smiling.

Phoebe poked her head into the foyer. "Hey, get a room, you two! Okay, just kidding, coffee and dessert are ready. Did you hear me, Katie? _Coffee_. And mom made caramel brownies!"

"Bye!" Kathryn said as she pushed Chakotay out of the way, nearly knocking him over, and ran into the dining room.

Chakotay sighed as he resigned himself to the fact that she may never love him as much as coffee and caramel brownies.

xXx

"Pink, Kathryn? Doesn't seem your style."

Chakotay dropped their duffel bags on the floor of her childhood bedroom. Phoebe, Fred, and the kids were also staying the night, leaving no other free rooms at the Janeway inn. Gretchen had refused to let Chakotay sleep on the couch, despite some of her old-fashioned tendencies.

"I didn't choose the color," she said, gesturing to the walls. "I think my mom wanted me to be girly. Good thing she got Phoebe!"

Chakotay chuckled. "You're girly," he said, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. "In a Kathryn Janeway sort of way."

She snorted. "Yes, the sort of way that burns pot roasts and doesn't like the color pink and prefers Starfleet boots to high heels."

"I better not tell you about the outfit Phoebe picked out for you for the homecoming party, then," he mused.

" _What_? Oh, no. The last time she picked out an outfit for me was when she forced me on a date, some time after Justin died," Kathryn said, sitting on the double bed. "Let's just say I kept fearing a wardrobe malfunction the entire night. So _no_ , Phoebe is not dressing me for the homecoming party."

"Too bad, here's your dress," Phoebe said as she barged into the room carrying a garment bag by the hanger. "And your shoes." She shoved a pair of shoes at her sister.

Kathryn gingerly took the four-inch gold stilettos as if they were riddled with a disease. "I can't possibly wear these."

"You can and you will," said Phoebe. "Time to return to planet Earth and hang up your uniform for once. Remember, family is invited to this shindig too, so I'll be there to make sure you're properly dressed. Plus, I'm sure Chakotay will appreciate the getup." She winked at Chakotay before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

"You Janeway women are all the same, aren't you?" he laughed. "Won't take no for an answer." Kathryn hung the garment bag in the closet. "Aren't you even going to look at it?" he asked.

"No. The shoes are enough of a glimpse into my future." She rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the bed.

"Your sister is right, you know," he said, laying on the bed next to her, propping his head up with his elbow. "You need to get out of your uniform. I think right now is a good time, don't you?" His other hand trailed down to the zipper of her jacket.

"Hm, well, you did mention some _other_ kind of dessert earlier. Can I assume you're still hungry?"

His eyes glinted mischievously. "For you, always."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kathryn and Chakotay stayed at the farm the next two nights before transporting to San Francisco for the homecoming party.

"I think we can be as loud as we want here, if you catch my drift," said Chakotay as he walked through Kathryn's suite on the top floor of the hotel.

She put on a serious face. "Who said _you_ were staying here? Starfleet gave you your own room, didn't they?" He whipped around to look at her and caught her giggling. She sauntered over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm joking, of course. There's a king size bed, a bathtub with jets, and a shower the size of Manhattan that I think we can utilize."

"Mmm," he said, leaning down and nuzzling her ear. He began to kiss the sensitive spot on her neck when she pulled away.

"We need to get ready, Chakotay," she said quietly, trying to suppress the dizzying effect he had on her. He reluctantly let go and she headed towards the bathroom.

Forty-five minutes later, Chakotay examined himself in the full-length mirror. "Not bad, old man," he murmured to himself. He wore a simple black and white tuxedo, but he had to admit that he looked quite dapper in it. He moved into the living area and took a seat on the plush couch, grabbing a padd that Kathryn had left on the coffee table and replacing it with a small, wooden box.

"Kathryn, are you almost ready?" he called into the bedroom area.

"Almost," she replied, grunting as she put on the heels Phoebe had given her.

A few moments later, an " _A-hem_ " caught his attention. He looked up from the padd.

Phoebe had shown him the dress, but he couldn't have fathomed how stunning Kathryn would look in it.

She stood before him in a floor-length midnight blue gown that shimmered when she moved. The neckline was a low v-neck but still modest, and a slit cut up the side of the dress, exposing her left leg and a small part of her left thigh. Her auburn hair was swept into a twist, leaving a few shorter pieces to frame her face. The shoes worked to his advantage, as she was now tall enough for him to easily kiss her, and a simple gold necklace and gold stud earrings completed the ensemble.

"Wow," he breathed, grabbing the wooden box off the table and standing up slowly. "I can't…you look...wow."

Kathryn felt her cheeks flush. "Yeah, okay. Phoebe did a good job this time," she admitted.

After staring at her for a few moments, Chakotay thrust the box at her. "This is for you."

She took it from him cautiously and raised one perfectly-shaped brow. "What's this for?" she asked.

He cleared his throat. "If you must know, I got it for you at the market on Amari Prime. I was going to give it to you for your last birthday, but…" He trailed off. They hadn't been on the best of terms for her last birthday.

She frowned, recalling the particular argument they had had. It had ruined her entire birthday. Pushing those negative thoughts aside, she carefully opened the box and pulled out a gold bracelet.

The bracelet looked like three thinner bracelets braided together. The pattern engraved into the gold was intricate and resembled roses, although abstractly. While delicate, Kathryn could tell the bracelet was well-constructed and probably didn't come at a cheap price.

"Chakotay, it's beautiful. Thank you." Tears threatened to prick her eyes and she blinked rapidly.

"You're beautiful. And I think it'll look great with your dress," he said, taking it from her to clasp it onto her tiny wrist. "You know, I can't decide if I like you in the dress or out of it better."

She laughed and smacked him lightly on the chest. "You'll see me out of it later. But now, we better get going."

"Aye aye, Captain," he replied, guiding her by the small of her back out the door.

xXx

While their very new relationship was known to at least the bridge crew, Kathryn and Chakotay were discrete in their words and actions at the homecoming party. However, after the fourth admiral had approached Kathryn with not only words of praise on her accomplishments in the Delta Quadrant, but also suggestive compliments on her appearance and dinner date invitations, Chakotay grew weary of the facade.

"I'm going to punch one of these guys," he grunted as he watched the latest suitor walk away into the crowd.

"Would you like me to make an announcement to the entire room that I'm sleeping with my first officer?" He threw Kathryn a look and she smiled. "I very clearly and very politely declined each one. Besides," she said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it, "it's sort of cute to see how jealous you get."

"Who knew you'd be so popular!" Phoebe appeared next to her sister and nudged her arm. "I've been watching from over there. All these admirals trying to get in your pants! Errrr...dress. The dress _I_ picked out for you, by the way!"

"Phoebe!" Kathryn exclaimed. "Have you always been this crass or have I simply forgotten over time?"

Phoebe winked at her before sashaying away towards her husband. Chakotay chuckled. "Phoebe has a point, you know," he said, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "I don't blame these guys for wanting to rip that dress off you and—"

"You're incorrigible," Kathryn interrupted, shoving him lightly.

"You say that a lot," he began, before stopping dead in his tracks. A woman in a deep red evening gown approached them. She had long dark hair and dark eyes, and the indigo lines on the one side of her forehead were crinkled with joy. Kathryn stepped back and smiled.

" _Sekaya?_ " Chakotay choked out. His sister ran up to him, almost barreling him over and embracing him in a fierce hug.

"Big brother!" she cried. Chakotay hugged her back, his eyes brimming with tears. After a few moments, he pulled away from her.

"Sekaya, what are you doing here? How did you—"

"You can blame your _girlfriend_ ," Sekaya teased, turning to Kathryn and taking her hand. "She was able to pull some strings to get me here faster."

Kathryn shrugged. "Being me has its perks, I suppose."

Chakotay ducked his head and smiled. "Just when I thought I couldn't love you any more," he murmured to Kathryn, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"I'll let you two catch up," Kathryn said, squeezing Sekaya's hand. "I'm sure there's more single male admirals who want to talk to me anyway." She winked and kissed his cheek in return, and wandered into the crowd.

"I can't believe you're here," Chakotay said, turning back to his sister.

"I can't believe _you're_ here," she replied. "My long-lost brother." Sekaya took Chakotay's hand and led him to a nearby table to sit. "Tell me everything."

Chakotay laughed. "Besides what I've already told you in my letters? There's a lot to tell."

"Well then, tell me about Kathryn."

He furrowed his brow. "I was gone for seven years and you want to talk about Kathryn?"

Sekaya gave him a knowing smile. "Brother, those seven years were _all about_ Kathryn. You wrote an entire page about her in your first communication to me."

Chakotay sat back and glanced away, catching a glimpse of Kathryn across the room as she mingled with the Parises. In a way, Sekaya was right; Chakotay had spent the better part of seven years doing everything he could to make Kathryn's life easier. He protected her, he counseled her, he was her best friend and confidant. Now, he watched her smile at something Tom Paris said, and even after all this time, it was still enough to knock him off his feet.

"You love her."

He slowly turned back to Sekaya, averting his eyes to the table, but giving her a small dimpled grin. "You're perceptive."

"I'm your sister," she replied, punching his arm gently. "I'm glad you're happy. When will you get married?"

Chakotay's eyes snapped up to hers. "Married?"

"Seven years is a long time to be together with someone but not be married."

He shook his head. "We weren't together. Not until a few days ago."

Sekaya grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Oh, but you _were_ together, brother. Think about it, consult your animal guide, and then you'll understand."

Chakotay smiled at his sister. Although he was committed to Kathryn, proposing marriage to her so soon after their return to Earth was out of the question, and he was fairly certain Kathryn would agree. In fact, he thought Kathryn may be content to never be engaged ever again, considering her two previous relationships and how disastrous they turned out to be, for two entirely different reasons.

No, he would wait until the time was right and then have a discussion with her about it.

But now was not that time. Pushing the thought out of his mind, he stood up and took his sister's hand. "Come on. Let me introduce you to my crew...my friends."

They walked over to where Kathryn, Tom, B'Elanna, and Harry Kim were huddled by the bar, each sipping champagne and laughing over various Delta Quadrant mishaps. Chakotay introduced Sekaya to the group, and she quickly gained their affections.

He silently watched Kathryn interact with his sister and the others. With the exception of New Earth, she had never looked so happy, so free. Her smile was brilliant, her skin radiant, her laugh full of joy. It made him ecstatic, and he could feel his love for her spilling out of every pore in his body. She turned to him at one point and smiled, and he could see their shared love reflected in her eyes.

 _You'll understand_. His sister's words echoed in his mind.

And in that moment, he understood.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Why can't you tell me what the program is?" Kathryn whined as they walked up the street to the holosuite building.

"Because it's a surprise, that's why," Chakotay said, knocking his hip into hers playfully. "We're almost there and then you'll see."

Kathryn huffed. It had been six weeks since Voyager had returned to the Alpha Quadrant, and she and Chakotay had been spending an inordinate amount of time together—so much so that Chakotay had told Starfleet that he didn't need living accommodations near headquarters, and had moved in with Kathryn instead, who had been given a spacious Starfleet-issue apartment overlooking the bay.

"Here we are," Chakotay said as they approached the door to the holosuite he had rented for the afternoon. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for _what_?" she asked. "You haven't told me what we're doing!"

He merely laughed. "Close your eyes," he murmured into her ear. His breath tickled her skin. She sighed and reluctantly closed her eyes.

Chakotay punched in the access code and the doors swooshed open before them. He guided her through until they were well inside the holosuite.

"Okay...you can open them," he said, taking a step away from her.

She inhaled deeply before opening her eyes and gasping. She knew exactly where she was.

"Chakotay…" she breathed, glancing around at the greenery surrounding her. Everything appeared exactly as it had back then; he had recalled every detail in the programming.

She took a few steps forward and smiled fondly when her eyes fell upon the piece de resistance. She walked towards it, then around it as she brushed her fingers along its edges.

She looked over at him and smiled warmly. "I kept it, you know."

Chakotay furrowed his brow. "Kept what?"

She chuckled. "The bathtub," she said, gesturing towards the one that currently sat between them. He cocked his head to the side in confusion. "I had Tuvok beam it into a storage container in Cargo Bay Two. When we got back to Earth, I had the container beamed directly into one of the empty barns on mom's property."

"You...you kept the _bathtub_?" he asked somewhat incredulously.

"Of course I did," she replied softly, moving to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You built it for me, and it was the best gift I've ever gotten. I wasn't just going to leave it there for the monkey to enjoy. He got the house, after all."

Chakotay let out a puff of breath and chuckled. "You're full of surprises, Kathryn Janeway. What else don't I know?"

She shrugged. "Guess you'll have to find out."

He shook his head and leaned down, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. "Well, I have a surprise for you, too," he said.

"Isn't this program my surprise?" she asked.

"Yes, but there's more," he replied mysteriously. He took her hand and led her through the woods. They walked in silence until she heard the familiar sound of running water.

When they emerged from the trees, she sucked in a breath. "Oh, Chakotay. The boat!"

Anchored to the shore of the river was the boat that Chakotay had planned to build all those years ago while they were on New Earth.

"I want to do all the things we never got to do in the Delta Quadrant," he said, coming up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know it's not the same, but I want to explore the river with you. I want to take trips together without Tuvok lecturing us on why the command team shouldn't go away together. Hell, I'll design a holo-program so that we can make love in your ready room on Voyager. I'm not sure about you, but that's always been a fantasy of mine."

She laughed and turned into him, playfully slapping his arm. "You're incorrigible, have I told you that?" He grinned and averted his eyes towards the ground in mock embarrassment. "Well, shall we get started on your list? I see a perfectly good boat bobbing in the river over there."

As she turned away from him, he grabbed her arm and brought her back to him. "Not yet. There's one more thing." She looked at him quizzically. "Kathryn, I know this is cliche of me to say, but I've loved you since the moment that we met. I've never, in my entire life, loved someone like I've loved you. I've always been by your side, and I want to continue to be by your side for the rest of our lives."

He backed away from her a few steps and she noticed his right hand was clenched tightly at his side.

"Kathryn Marie Janeway," he said, getting down on one knee and opening his hand to reveal a ring. "Will you marry me?"

Kathryn stood frozen in her spot, eyes widened and jaw slackened. After the momentary shock finally melted away, the corners of her mouth turned upward into a small smile. "I don't know, I'll have to think about it." Chakotay furrowed his brow as a look of hurt passed over his features. She laughed as she held out her left hand. "Oh don't be silly, of course I'll marry you."

He sighed in relief and stood up. "Who's incorrigible now?" he joked, slipping the ring onto her finger. The front of the band was shaped like an infinity symbol, with four small diamonds encrusting the lower right curve, and three small diamonds encrusting the upper left curve.

"It's beautiful," she remarked, holding it up to her face.

"So are you," he replied as he kissed her cheek. "The diamonds are meant to be Captain and Commander pips. And I used the infinity symbol, for obvious reasons."

She looked up at him, a look of astonishment on her face. "You came up with this yourself?" she asked. It was a stupid question, really; she knew how crafty he was, but she was touched by his thoughtfulness.

"Yes. It's my design. I had it custom made," he said. "Years ago, actually. On that planet with the all metal mines."

"You...you got me a ring that long ago?" she asked, choking back her surprise.

He flashed her a dimpled smile. "I was always hoping, Kathryn."

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Chakotay," she said, her voice muffled as she pressed her face into his chest.

"I love you, too," he replied. "In fact, I love you so much that I don't want to wait to get married. How does next week sound?"

" _Next week?_ "

He shrugged. "Kathryn, we were essentially a couple for seven years, just without all the _really_ good stuff, if you know what I mean," he joked. "Why wait any longer? I'm sure we can pull some strings to make it happen." He leaned in and began to kiss her neck lightly.

Kathryn hesitated for a moment. Glancing up at the trees swaying in the holo-breeze, she said, "I think we should wait. Maybe a year? That sounds like a reasonable amount of time..."

He pulled back from her. "A year? What the hell for?"

She took a deep breath and looked him right in the eyes. "I think it'd be nice if your child could be there."

Chakotay stared at her. "My...my _child_? What are you talking about?"

She smiled knowingly as she took his right hand and placed it on her flat belly. "It's still really early, but…"

His eyes grew wide, and he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. "You're...you're _pregnant_?"

"Six weeks yesterday."

"Six weeks…" He trailed off before the realization hit him. "Six weeks ago was our last night on Voyager..."

"A wonderful homecoming present, isn't it?" she asked, cupping his face in her hands.

Chakotay swallowed hard, still perplexed. "But...how?"

"What do you mean 'how'?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. "I think it's _quite_ obvious how this happened!"

He shook his head. "No, I mean, contraceptive boosters?"

"Oh," she replied. "Um, well, I had stopped getting them. I figured as a single forty-two-year-old, it was one less thing I had to worry about. And while we're at it, why weren't _you_ taking _yours_?"

"Same reason as you," he said, pushing a stray lock of hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. "I'm pushing fifty, you know. Didn't think I'd become a father this late in the game."

"Well, I guess we were both too _preoccupied_ to think about any consequences," she giggled. "But now that you know, you can come with me for my first appointment tomorrow and make sure I don't delete the Doctor's program after he inevitably says something to make me angry."

Chakotay laughed. "You know you shouldn't drink regular coffee when you're pregnant, right?"

Kathryn scowled at him and held up her left hand. "Do you want this back, mister?"

"No, ma'am," he replied, leaning in to kiss her. "And it's a long way back to the Delta Quadrant to return it anyway."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

They were married five months later, on a warm, sunny September afternoon at her mother's house in Indiana. Kathryn had ultimately decided that getting married _after_ having the baby would be too much. Five months was the perfect timeframe for preparations and to make sure all her family and friends—that is, her entire crew—would be planetside for the occasion.

Phoebe had helped Kathryn choose her wedding dress—a simple ivory gown with a modest v-neck that flowed over her growing belly and down to the grass beneath her feet.

Now, with her arm linked through the arm of Tom Paris, she made her way down the aisle, formed by rows upon rows of white chairs towards a trellis decorated in peach-colored roses. Chakotay stood tall, watching intently as they made their way towards them. Next to him stood Mike Ayala, and Phoebe waited for her sister on the other side of the trellis. Naomi Wildman had already showered the guests with rose petals and sat in the front row with B'Elanna and Miral, Samantha Wildman, Harry Kim, Gretchen, and Sekaya. Sitting directly behind them was Phoebe's husband, their two children, the Doctor, and Seven of Nine. Owen Paris was ready to perform the ceremony, smiling broadly as he stood in the center of the trellis.

When they reached the trellis, Tom kissed Kathryn on the cheek and shook Chakotay's hand before taking a seat next to B'Elanna.

Owen said a few words and then their vows and rings were exchanged—nothing fancy or extravagant. They had both waited too long to drag this out any further.

"By the power invested in me, by the state of Indiana and the United Federation of Planets, it's my pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. Chakotay, you may kiss your bride," Owen beamed.

Chakotay grinned, his dimples in full force, and pulled Kathryn towards him—as far as she could go, considering her belly—and kissed her. Everyone cheered, and a loud "It's about damn time!" could be heard over the crowd; Kathryn recognized the voice as Tom's, who echoed his same sentiment from that day on the bridge.

Large white tents were set up in the backyard for the reception. The dogs ran playfully through the throngs of people, searching for belly rubs and dropped food. Samantha took Naomi to the far side of the yard, where she was able to pet the horses over the fence. Kathryn and Chakotay meandered through the tents, holding hands and making sure to greet each and every one of their guests.

Behind her, Kathryn heard a familiar voice. "Captain, Commander," it said. She turned around and the Doctor, accompanied by Seven, gave her a big smile.

"You can drop the ranks, Doctor," Kathryn chided, enveloping him in a hug. "We're just Kathryn and Chakotay now."

"Ah, yes. Kathryn, Chakotay, and their two offspring-to-be," he said, as he shook hands with Chakotay and Kathryn hugged Seven.

Seven stepped back and raised an eyebrow. "Two offspring-to-be? I do not understand," she said, frowning.

Kathryn smiled. Whatever had happened between Chakotay and Seven had not interfered with any of their relationships in the slightest, and for that she was grateful. "Yes, Seven. Chakotay and I are having twins. I'm not sure how many people actually know since we didn't make a big announcement, but knowing the Voyager crew, I'm sure it'll spread like wildfire soon enough."

Seven nodded. "Indeed. This crew has a knack for passing information rather efficiently." Chakotay smirked at Seven's comment.

"Well, we'll let you get back to the rest of your guests," said the Doctor, taking Seven by the arm. "I'll see you next week for your appointment, Captain. Ah... _Kathryn_."

While she was enjoying herself immensely, the end of the night couldn't come soon enough for Kathryn, whose feet were swollen and whose belly was being bruised from the inside out from her kicking twins.

Tom, B'Elanna, and little Miral were the last to leave. "You know, I'm not sure what would be worse," B'Elanna said to Kathryn as she headed down the front steps of the house, "A single half-Klingon child, or two human children."

"I guess we'll find out," Kathryn joked, giving B'Elanna a hug. "We'll see you soon, B'Elanna."

B'Elanna smiled and joined Tom and Miral before they headed down the path to the transporter station.

"You should go to bed, dear," said Gretchen when Kathryn reappeared in the kitchen. Chakotay sat at the table, sipping from a coffee cup. Phoebe, Fred, and the kids were staying the night and had already gone to bed.

"Come on, I'll help you upstairs," said Chakotay. Kathryn gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and said goodnight, and the two of them made their way to Kathryn's bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind them.

He helped her out of her dress and into her pajamas, and after stripping down to his boxers, they washed up and crawled into bed, laying in each other's arms under the warm covers.

"Well, I guess we don't have to worry about having a honeymoon baby," Chakotay murmured into Kathryn's ear jokingly.

She swatted at him. "No, I suppose not. Speaking of honeymoon, are you sure you want to go tomorrow? I won't be disappointed if we don't go."

Chakotay leaned back to look at her. "Are you having second thoughts? If you're not feeling up to it, we can go after the twins are born. I'm sure your mother or B'Elanna wouldn't mind watching them for a long weekend."

Kathryn shook her head. "No, I want to go. I just wanted to make sure you still did. I know you've got alot coming up with your new commission."

He smiled. They hadn't told many people yet as to not overshadow their wedding, but Chakotay had been promoted to Captain, and he had been given command of Voyager. The ship was in the process of being refitted, so it would be a while before it was ready—luckily, the twins would be born by then—but there was still much to be done in the way of paperwork, reports, and inspections. Kathryn had also been promoted to Admiral, but quite understandably, she had asked Owen for a leave of absence given her circumstances.

"I want to go," he said, nuzzling her neck.

"Okay, then we'll go," she said softly. "But if you want me to be a pleasant traveling companion, I need to get some sleep."

"Aye, Admiral," Chakotay replied, hugging her closer. "I love you, Kathryn."

"I love you too, Chakotay," she whispered as she drifted off into a restful slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **Two Years Later**

Kathryn sat on the lounger, reading a book and watching the twins play on a large blanket in the middle of the backyard. Mollie, now very old and gray, lay by her side on the patio, and Cinnamon lay next to the blanket in the grass, keeping careful watch over the boys.

Gretchen came bustling out the back door, carrying a glass of water and setting it on the table next to Kathryn.

"You should keep hydrated if you're going to sit in the sun," she scolded. Kathryn looked up at her and smiled. "I took the liberty of cleaning your hall bath and washed some dishes."

"Mom, you didn't have to do that!" Kathryn scolded in return. "I didn't invite you here to clean."

"I spent time with the boys earlier and I figured you could use a break. They can be a handful," Gretchen replied, putting a hand on Kathryn's shoulder. "Now, I'm going home. You let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Kathryn nodded. "Be careful, Mom."

Gretchen snorted. "Katie, I live less than a half-mile away. We have a path connecting our houses. Honestly, do you think I'll be sucked into the corn fields, never to be seen again?"

"I spent seven years in the Delta Quadrant, Mom. I'll believe anything."

Gretchen shook her head, kissed Kathryn on the cheek, and headed out into the backyard. After saying goodbye to the boys, she let herself out the back gate and headed off to her house.

Kathryn sighed and wave of gratefulness washed over her. After the twins had been born, living in her once-spacious San Francisco apartment-for-two had quickly become a non-option. Chakotay hadn't hesitated in the slightest when she had asked if they could build a house for themselves on the far side of the Janeway property; in fact, Chakotay had designed it himself, and had even helped build it. It rivaled her mother's house in style, an old farmhouse on the outside with all the technologically-advanced amenities on the inside.

As she contemplated whether to bring the boys in from the sun, she heard Cinnamon start to bark. The dog immediately ran to the side gate, which was out of Kathryn's line of vision. Mollie stood up and walked slowly to the edge of the patio. The boys continued to play, unimpressed by whatever the dog was causing a commotion over.

Kathryn heard the gate unlatch and instinctively grabbed her phaser from the table. She kept it with her at all times when Chakotay wasn't home. Her sister always came through the front door, and her mother had just left; she couldn't imagine who would be coming through the side gate.

She crept over to where Mollie was standing, not wanting to scare off the intruder before she could see who it was. She glanced over at the boys; they were still playing with their toy starships.

"What, are you going to shoot me?" came a familiar voice.

Her head snapped back and the phaser clattered to the patio.

"Chakotay!" Kathryn launched herself at her husband, enveloping him in a hug. He smiled down at her and kissed her. "What are you doing here? You aren't supposed to be home for another two weeks!" Kathryn said breathlessly. Chakotay had left nearly twelve weeks ago on an extended mission. It was difficult for her and the boys when he was gone for long periods of time, but thankfully it didn't happen too often, and Gretchen, Phoebe, and the Paris clan were always willing to keep them company.

Before Chakotay could answer, the twins came running up to him, each one attaching to one of his legs. "Daddy!" they both cried. Chakotay knelt down and hugged them.

"Orion, Leo. Were you boys good for your mother while I was gone?" They both nodded in unison.

Chakotay smiled and stood back up. "Voyager was recalled. Half the bio gelpacks began randomly malfunctioning, so headquarters decided to throw her into dry dock instead of trying to have the crew fix it," he explained. "So, here I am. I figured I'd surprise you."

"I'm so glad you're home. We've all missed you."

"I missed you all, too." He grabbed Kathryn's hand and squeezed it. "Well Admiral, besides caring for these two monsters and gracing Starfleet with your presence half-time, what have you been up to in my absence?"

"I'll show you," she said mysteriously, leading him in through the back door. "Boys, come sit at the kitchen table for a snack." The twins followed their parents inside, followed by the two dogs. Kathryn sat them at the table and gave them some carrot sticks.

"Come on." Chakotay followed her upstairs and down the hallway to the very last door on the left. She opened it and motioned for Chakotay to step inside.

The room was bright and airy, and white curtains billowed in the Indiana breeze. The walls were painted a pale, peachy-pink and white chair rail ran around the center of the room. The hardwood floors had been recently polished. A white dresser and bookshelf lined one of the walls. Chakotay moved towards the piece of furniture along the other wall and placed his hand on it.

"What's this?" he asked, turning to her. When her response was a mere simple smile, his eyes grew wide. He clutched the rail of the white crib harder. "You...you're pregnant?" She nodded and he strode over to her, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her squarely on the lips. "So who's the lucky guy?" he asked jokingly.

She shoved him lightly. "I'm thirteen weeks pregnant. It happened right before you left."

"No doubt that night we left the boys with your mother," he purred in her ear. She smiled at the memory. He stepped back from her and looked around the room. "You did a great job in here. The last time I saw this room, it was full of boxes. I hope you didn't paint, though."

"No, I recruited Tom and Harry to do that," she said, sitting down in the rocking chair in the corner.

"So everyone knew about this baby except me?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Only a few select people," she replied. She waited a moment, then asked, "So, do you like the color?"

Chakotay glanced around the room. "I do. It's much better than the pink in your bedroom at your mother's house," he said, putting his hand flat on the wall. He stared at it for a moment. When the realization hit him, he swung around.

"Spirits! It's a girl?!"

She laughed. "I was waiting for you to figure out that part!"

Chakotay's mouth just sagged open, testament to his undulating joy at hearing the news. "And...and she's okay? Everything is okay?" He came over to her and took her hands. "And there's only one this time, right?"

Kathryn laughed again. "Yes, only one, and she's fine. She's perfect."

Chakotay beamed down at Kathryn. "You've just made me the happiest man in the world."

"You mean I didn't before?" she asked, mocking hurt.

He chuckled. "You're right. You made me the happiest man in the world the moment you showed up on my viewscreen."

Kathryn stood up, snaking her arms around his neck. "I thought of a name for her," she whispered. "What do you think of naming her Kes?" Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of Kes, who had been the closest thing to a daughter she had before Seven had come along.

"I think that's beautiful, Kathryn," he replied, kissing her forehead. "Kes would be honored."

"I miss her," she sniffed. "Even after all this time."

"I know." Chakotay wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair. They stood like that for a few minutes, but in a household with twin boys and two dogs, they had learned quickly that moments like these were a fleeting commodity.

The boys bounded up the stairs with the dogs in tow, all four of them seemingly bursting into the room at once. Leo began climbing one of Chakotay's legs, while Orion threw his arms up for Kathryn to pick him up. Mollie curled up at their feet, and Cinnamon stood by, wagging her tail erratically.

Kathryn looked at Chakotay and Leo, then down to Orion in her arms, then over to Mollie and Cinnamon. She glanced back up at Chakotay and her heart swelled. "I'm glad you decided to throw my parameters out the airlock when you kissed me on the bridge that day," she said. "I can't imagine my life any other way now."

"Me neither," he said, inching closer to her. "And I think after Kes is born, our little family will be complete."

"No more dogs or kids?" Kathryn joked, giving Orion a kiss on the forehead. "There's plenty of room."

Chakotay laughed. "No, I don't think so. But I am glad we built a big house."

Kathryn contemplated his words. Looking up at him and giving him a knowing smile, she reached out her free hand to place it on his chest. "Home, Chakotay," she corrected. "This isn't just a house. It's home."

Fin.


End file.
